This bill requires the FCC to create and publish an annual public list of companies that have licenses from the FCC but are connected to China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia. The goal is to increase transparency about foreign influence in American communications infrastructure.

For certain critical licenses—like those for submarine cables that carry international communications—the FCC must list any company where these four countries (or their government-controlled entities) own a significant stake or have control. For other types of FCC licenses, the FCC first needs to create rules to collect information about who owns these companies, then add to the list any companies where these foreign entities have substantial ownership.

Essentially, this is a transparency measure that lets Americans and policymakers see which communications companies operating in the U.S. have ties to these specific foreign governments. It doesn't ban these companies from operating, but it makes their foreign connections public so regulators and the public can be aware of potential national security considerations in how communications infrastructure is controlled.

Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act

Fischer, Deb

Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency ActThis bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to annually publish a list of entities that hold a license or other authorization granted by the FCC and have ties to specified foreign countries.With respect to entities holding cable landing licenses (for the placement and operation of submarine communications cables) or other licenses granted via competitive auction, the FCC must publish a list of all such entities (1) in which a covered entity holds a specified voting or equity interest, or (2) that have been determined by a national security agency to be subject to the control of a covered entity.&nbsp;With respect to entities holding all other categories of FCC licenses or other&nbsp;authorizations, the FCC must first issue rules facilitating the collection of information on such licensees’ ownership structure. After that information is obtained, the FCC must add to the published list any such entity in which a covered entity holds a specified voting or equity interest.&nbsp;Under the bill, a covered entity is defined as an entity organized in China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia; a subsidiary of such an entity; or the government of China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia.